Latham at Lowy: Trading Results for Rhetoric

A Latham Labor Government would put trade policy rhetoric before results, Australia's Trade Minister Mark Vaile said today.

Mark Latham seems determined to turn back the clock and pursue the failed policies of the Keating Government with a blinkered focus on Asia and a blind faith in a multilateral approach to trade policy.

Alarmingly, in a supposed landmark speech on international relations, the Leader of the Opposition devoted only two paragraphs to trade and failed to mention the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement - the most significant bilateral trade deal in our history.

Mr Latham said the ALP "will push back into Asia" and will not go down the Howard Government's "path of bilateralism." He said: "This is why Labor believes in multilateralism, most of all through the WTO and in Asia".

This approach is out dated and fails to understand that the world has moved on since the Keating Government was last in office, Mr Vaile said.

Under this approach Labor would not have pursued bilateral free trade agreements with Thailand and Singapore, nor the $25 billion bilateral gas deal with China.

Under this approach Labor would have let down Australia's exporters who have benefited from the Coalition's pursuit of opportunities where ever they arise.

Apart from rhetoric, I challenge Mark Latham to outline what the key outcomes would be from his revisionist approach to trade policy.

I also challenge him to come clean on his views towards Australia's free trade agreement with the United States - which is clearly in the national interest.

It is staggering that the Labor leader failed to address this issue. The Australia - US Free Trade Agreement will link the Australian economy with the world's most powerful economy.

The Coalition Government pursues every opportunity to increase and improve conditions for Australian exporters in every international market. This includes opening new and bigger markets for Australia multilaterally, regionally and bilaterally.

Contact: Matthew Doman on 02 6277 7420